Device for regulating the draw-off motion on full fashioned hosiery knitting machines



Jan. 26, 1932. w. NUTT ET AL 1,842,730

DEVICE FOR REGULATING THE DRAW-OFF MOTION ON FULL FASHIONED HOSIERYKNITTING MACHINES Filed April 20, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor %Zfl'edNw Z 2 ;g By NOW A Home y Jan. 26, 1932. w, NUTT ET AL 1,842,730

DEVICE FOR REGULATING THE DRAW-OFF MOTION ON FULL FASHIONED HOSIERYKNITTING MACHINES Filed April 20. 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 i W H q 9 it /4I nventor y W EZf'a l J4? jazz/:15 7072/ 5.520%

Jan. 26, 1932. w. NUTT ET AL 1,842,730

DEVICE FOR REGULATING THE DRAW-OFF MOTION ON FULL FASHIONED HOSIERYKNITTING MACHINES Filed April 20, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Aflomey lrweniorJan. 26, 1932. w, -r 1,842,730

DEVICE FOR REGULATING THE DRAW-OFF MOTION ON FULL FASHIONED HOSIERYKNITTING MACHINES Filed April 20, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Invenior jazz/asH 1/: 'vec z' I 5603 1 A uorncy Jan. 26, 1932. w, -r ET AL 1,842,730

DEVICE FOR REGULATING THE DRAW-OFF MOTION 0N FULL FASHIONED HOSIERYKNITTING MACHINES Filed April 20, 193]. 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 in I H za ' InIienior zg rflz 1m Zazoa's 1505711 7632 Jon E ficazi Attorney ll ntentedJan. 26, 1932 UNITED STATES FATENT "WWRED N'U'IT, LKTUIS H. KIVET'I, DONE. SCOTT, OF GRAHAM, NORTH GARULINA lUlElF'll UlEl FOR BEGULATING THEDRAW-OFF MOTION ON FULL FASHIUNEID HUSlllhl'lt'lZ" KNITTING MACHINESApplication filed April 20,

provide, in a manner as hereinafter described,

a weight releasing device for the draw-oil mechanism on full fashionedhosiery knitting machines embodying a novel construction and arrangementof parts whereby the lit tensioning cable may be relieved of the weightsat any desired time or periods. during the knitting operation, the meansfor engaging and supporting the weights, thereby relieving thetensioning cable thereof, being an adjustable.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a device for regulatingthe draw-off portion on full fashioned hosiery knitting machines of thecharacter described which may 1% be expeditiously connected foroperation to a conventional full fashioned knittin machine without thenecessity of materia ly altering said machine structurally, which willbe strong, durable, simple in construction,

tit eliicient and reliable in operation and which illi llll may bemanufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of theinvention will become apparent from a study of the followingspecification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawingswherein like characters of reference designate corresponding partsthroughout the several views, and wherein Figure 1 is a view in sideelevation showing a device constructed in accordance with this inventionoperatively connected to the drawoit' mechanism of a full fashionedhosiery lrnitting machine.

Figure 2 is a view in rear elevation of the device.

Figure 3 is a view in top plan of the attachment.

Figure t is a detail view in horizontal sec- 1931. Serial No. 531,53Q.

tion taken substantially on the line 4% cl Figure 5 looking downwardly.a

Figure 5 is a detail view principally in vertical section takensubstantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view talrer substantially on the line6-6 of Fi re 3.

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line7-7 of Figure 3.

Figure '8 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the lineM of Figure 1 looking downwardly.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary detail view on an enlarged scale and in rearelevation showing the mounting of the weights on the guide rods and themeans for operatively connecting the weights together.

Figure 10 is a detail view in section through one of the weight lugsshowing the means for operatively connecting the rods which support theweights thereto.

Figure 11 is a detail view in side elevation of one of the weights.

Figure 12 is a detail view in top plan of one of the Weights.

Figure 13 is a detail View in elevation oi one of the weight supportingrods.

Figure 14 is a detail view in perspective of one of the adjustablecollars.

Figure 15 is a detail view' principally in vertical section showing themeans of connecting the tensioning cable of the knitting machine to thelowermost weight.

Figure 16 is a detail view in elevation of the reel pulley of theknitting machine.

Figure 17 is a detail view in vertical section through the ratchet wheelwhich is mounted on-one side of the reel pulley and showing, in sideelevation, the locking dog which is engaged therewith to hold theweights during a welt turning operation.

Referring to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the referencenumeral 1 designates portions of the frame of a conventional fullfashioned hosiery knitting machine having journaled thereon the usualdraw-ed shaft 2, upon one end portion of which is fixed theconventionalreel pulley 3, upon which is windable the tensioning cablel. The numeral l designates the knitting ill? lid lit!) needles, fromwhich the fabric 5' comes, and this fabric is connected with a strap 6,connected with the shaft 2, to be wound thereon.

A stub shaft 5is rigidly connected in the usual manner to an upperportion (not shown) of the knitting machine.--

grooved pulley 6 is mounted for rotation on the stub shaft 5 between thecollars 7, as best seen in Figure 3 of the drawings. Abracket 8 isprovided in its intermediate portion with an eye 9 through which thestub shaft 5 extends, the eye 9 being rigidly secured to the shaft 5 by'a set screw10. The bracket 8 includes adownturned portion upon thelower end of which is rigidly mounted in any suitable manner, ahorizontally disposed plate 11,'havv ing an opening 12 therein. Thecable 4 is trained over the idle pulley 6- and depends therefrom throughthe opening 12.

Upon' the opposite sides of the cable opening 12, the plate 11 isprovided with openings 13, for the reception of the upper end portionsof a pair of vertic guide ,rods 14. These gui e rods 14 are antheopenings 13, by set screws 15,"

chored in l spaced parallel which are threaded into the plate 11. The

lower ends of the guide rods 14 are anchored in a base plate 16, whichis secured in any suitable manner to the floor or other surface.

The cable 4 extends between the guide rods 14, as shown.

A series of weights is mounted for vertical sliding movement on. theguide rods 14, all of the weights with the exception of'the lowermostthereof being designated by the numeral 17 the lowermost weight beingdesignated by the reference numeral 18, for a purpose which will bepresently apparent. All

I of the weights are provided with a pair of passage for the cable,

openings 19., for the slidable passage of the guide rods 14 and theweights 17 are provided also with centrally disposed smoothopenings 20through which'the cable 4 passes. These openin 20 are much larger indiameter than t e cable, and simply afford a whereby the cable is in nosense operatively connected with any of the weights, except thelowermost weight. As best illustrated in Figure of the drawings, thelowermost weight 18 is provided with a centrally disposed opening 21,the upper portion of which is threaded to receive 4 the externallythreaded lower end portion of 25,: which a coupling tube 22, having atapered upper end portion 23 for guiding action into the centralopenings 20 of the weights 17. The coupling tube'22 is adapted toslidably enter the openings 20. The lower end of the cable 4 passesthrough the tube 22 and is knotted, as at 24, to prevent withdrawal ofthe cable from, the tube 22 and to secure the lowermost weight 18 on thecable.

All of the weights are provided upontheir peripheries with outwardlyextending lugs are integral therewith. Each lug 25 32, for clampingengagement with the rod 30.

The rod 30 is preferably stationary, except for adjustments. One ofthese collars is illustrated in detail in Figure 14 of the drawings. Theweight take-off rod 30 is slidably mounted within the smooth opening 26of the lug 25 of the uppermost weight 17, and has adjustably mountedupon its lower end, a. collar 33, which is clamped in the adjustedposition by a set screw 34 (see Figure 10) The collar 33 is beneath thelug 25. The collar 33 is identical with the collars 31. As is apparent,the lug 25 of the uppermost weight 17 is engageable upon the top of thecollar 33, in a manner to relieve the cable 4 of the load of saiduppermost weight. Weight take-off rods 35 have their upper threaded endsengaglng in the threaded openings 27 of the lugs 25 of all of theweights -17. Each of the weight take-off rods 35 is slidably mountedwithin the smooth opening 26 of the lug 25 of the next lower weight, andhas adjustably secured to its lower end beneath said lug a sleeve 33,which may be clamped to the rod b a set screw 34.

A ratchet wheel 36 (see igures 1, 16 and 17 is rigidly attached to oneside of the reel pulley 3, and pfvotally mounted at 18 38, upon aportion of the frame 1, to swin verticall The dog or pawl 37 engages wi'theratc et wheel 36 to positively lock the shaft 2 of the knittingmachine against rotation in one direction, -due to the action of theweights 17 and'18,

when a'weltturni'ng operation is to be made.

-In 0 eration, as the cable 4 is unwoun from t e reel pullcy 3, all ofthe weights 17 and 18, at first move downwardly as a unit upon the guiderods 14. When the uppermost weiglht l7 descends sufliciently, its lug 25engages t e collar 33 of the weight take-off 30, so that the uppermostweight 17 is now supported by the cable 4 of. he load of such weight.The remaining weights engage successively the collars 33 on the lowerends of the weight takeof rods 35, as they descend in a manner tosuccessivel relieve the cable 4 of the loads of such wei ts. Thus, whenknitting stock- ,the oads of the weights are automatica y lifted fromthe tensioning cable 4 at the proper lace, and also at the same p ace inthe pro notion of each pair of stockings, thus roducing stockings ofmore uniform len%h,

' avin more nearly the same count in stitc es than-1s the case when theweights are rerod 30, thereby relieving theis engaged by a dog 37, whichlll Eltl

neaavao moved manually by an attendant, as at present.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the several weighttake-off rods support the weights as they reach their lowermostpositions, thereby removing the loads from the cable. All of these rods,excepting the uppermost rod, are vertically movable with the weights,during a part of their travel. The rods which thus constitute thesupporting means for the weights are spaced from and free fromconnection or engagement with the cable.

lit is believed that the many advantages of a device constructed inaccordance with the present invention will be readily understood, andalthough the preferred embodiment of the invention is as illustrated anddescribed, it is to be understood that changes in the details ofconstruction may be had which will fall within the scope of theinvention as claimed.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

1. The combination with a full fashioned knitting machine including arotar draw-off element, of a cable connected with t e element to turnthe same, guide means engaging the cable, a plurality ofsuperposedweights with the lowermost weight connected with the cable,the arrangement being such that the lowermost weight raises all of theremaining weights, means to limit the downward travel of the upper mostweight and to support the same at the end of its travel, and means tosupport the remaining weights from the uppermost weight when suchremaining weights have descended to the lowered positions.

2. A cable for connection with the drawod means of a full fashionedknitting machine, guide means engaging the cable, a plurality ofsuperposed weights with the lowermost weight connected with the cable,

the arrangement being such that the lowermost weight raises all of theremaining weights, means separate from the cable to limit the downwardtravel of the uppermost weight and support the same at the end of itsdownward travel, and means to support the remaining weights from theuppermost weight when such remaining weights have descended to thelowered positions, the last named means being separate from the cableand embodying generally vertical element-s there being relativelongitudinal movement between the generally vertical elements andcertain of said remaining weights.

3. A cable for connection with the drawoff means of a full fashionedknittin machine, guide means engaging the ca le, a pair of superposedweights, means whereby the cable is capable of raising the lower weight,means to limit the downward movement of the upper weight and to supportthe same in the lowered position, and slidable same in the loweredposition, and a generally vertical element connected with the upper andlower weights and so correlated with said weights that the lower weightmay descend with relation to the upper weight and be supported in thelowered position from the upper weight,

5. A cable for connection with the draw- 0d means of a full fashionedknitting machine, guide means engaging the cable, upper and lowerweights so arranged that the upper weight is raised by the lower weight,means whereby the cable is capable of raising the lower weight, means tolimit the downward movement of the upper weight and to support the samein the lowered position, and a generally vertical rod connected with theupper and lower weights and having a stop element, the arrangement beingsuch that there is relative vertical movement be tween the rod and oneweight, so that the rod supports the lower weight from the upper weightwhen it descends to the lowered position.

6. A cable for connection with the draw-- ofl' means of a full fashionedknitting ma2- chine, guide means engaging the cable, up per and lowerweights so arranged that the upper weight is raised by the lower weight,means whereby the cable is capable of raising the lower weight, means tolimit the downward movement of the upper weight and to support the samein the lowered position, and a generally vertical rod connected with theupper weight and having a slidable connection with t e lower weight andprovided with a sto element to limit the travel of the lower weig t andto support the same from the upper weight,

7. The combination with the draw-ed means of a full fashioned knittingmachine, of a cable connected with such means, guide means engaging thecable, a plurality of weights to move the cable in one direction andarranged in superposed relation so that the lowermost weight is capableof raising the remaining upper weights, means to limit the downwardtravel of the uppermost weight and support the-same, and extent oftravel regulating connecting elements connecting the downwardlysuccessive weights and be ing separate from the cable, the arrangementbeing such that the weights beneath the up permost weight are supportedfrom the uppermost weight when they reach the end of their downwardtravel.

In testimony whereof we aifix our signatures.

' WILFRED NUTT.

LOUIS H. KIVETT. DON E. SCOTT.

